"For there are three that bear witness in heaven:  the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one."  1 John 5:7

​ I've always found myself confused by the concept of a triune God.  I've heard metaphors to try and simplify the idea, i.e. God is like a puzzle (small pieces to make a greater whole), but it's still never been easy for my feeble mind to grasp.  And honestly, with physical elements like dimensionality obviously at play (physics now believes that there are at least 10 dimensions and we can only observe 4 of them), perhaps it's something that I won't understand until I'm standing in His presence.  Even still, I thought I would spend the next few weeks expanding on the little sense it makes to me, starting with the whole and working through it's parts.

For me it helps to look at Creation to develop an idea of the Creator, and sometimes some simple if-then logic.  We are created in God's image (Gen. 1:26).  Man is made up of three parts: mind, body and soul.  (There are lots of very smart people that would argue that we are much more complex than that, but the simplicity of the three basic categories works best here.  A further breakdown is irrelevant to this point.)  So if God made us in His image, and we have a mind, a body and a soul, then God must also have a mind, a body and a soul.  
The difficult part for me, and most I would say, is that, with regard to God, those things are all completely separate entities that make up one Sovereign Being, like a puzzle if you will.  So separate in fact, that God actually refers to Himself in the plural in Genesis 1:26 (Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness).  Not to mention the Hebrew word for God used all throughout the Creation story, elôhîym, is also plural.

Within my image of man metaphor, God the Father is His mind (all knowing), God the Word is His body (Jesus, who would become flesh), and God the Holy Spirit is His soul (ever present and all powerful) (the Breath of God from last week's post).  But just like the mind, body and soul of man, they all three come together to form one all knowing, ever present and all powerful God.  All three parts were together at Creation, when God spoke, spilling out His Breath and forming His Word to make all things (Gen. 1 and John 1).  And all of Them had only one name, God Almighty.  As difficult as that may be, faith and God's Word tells me it's a fact.

So as we go through the Father, the Word (the Son) and the Holy Spirit over the next few weeks, let's try to keep that fact in mind.  I started with the whole because I feel that all too often we get caught up in the roles of the Trinity and forget that it all points to one Almighty God, the God of Abraham, Moses, Isaac and Jacob.  The God of David, Daniel, Isaiah and Jeremiah.  And, as I break all of this down topically, I don't want to let "Them" get in the way of HIM.  I look forward to this journey with you.

God, thank You for the opportunity to get to know You more.  To know more about how all Your pieces point to the one Almighty God of the universe.  Praise You, Lord of Hosts!  In Jesus name, Amen.

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."  Gen. 2:7

We often sing songs and say prayers about the Breath of God; about Him breathing new life into us, about the refreshing nature of His breath, etc.  There is a certain intimacy in finding comfort in the breath of God.  But lately, when I've asked the Spirit to breath life into me, I've felt overwhelmingly drawn toward the idea that the breath of God is so much more than we can even comprehend.  

I mean, if you start from the beginning, God simply spoke and everything was (Gen. 1).  The formation of every word starts with a breath.  (Have you ever tried to speak when you're short of breath?)  I think it's possible that before the words were even formed, God's breath had already started creation (Psalm 33:6).  And it became more personal when, after He formed man from the dust, He breathed life into his nostrils (Gen. 2:7).  Then, from that single breath, the breath of all mankind is sustained by Him (Job 12:10, Job 33:4).  

His breath protects His people (2 Sam. 22:16, Psalm 18:15), makes dry bones live again (Ezk. 37:5), keeps us from speaking wickedness and deception (Job 27:3), and gives understanding to the spirit of man (Job 32:8).  That same breath also slays the wicked (Isa. 11:4) consumes those who cultivate iniquity (Job 4:9), and will destroy the lawless one in the end of all things (2 Thess. 2:8, Rev.20:9).  But most importantly, it was His final breath as a man that gives me new life (Luke 23:46).

And, to top it all off, after Jesus ascended back to Heaven, he sent a Helper, the Spirit of truth (John 14:16).  The Greek word for spirit is pneuma, which means a current of air or breath.  It is the word used every time the New Testament writers refer to the Holy Spirit.  And when the Spirit of God is addressed in the Old Testament, it is the Hebrew word rûah, which means wind by exhalation.  So as we are comforted or convicted by the Spirit, it is literally by God's breath.

Without the breath of God, we would be nothing.  It made us, sustains us, comforts us, convicts us and saves us.  So next time you find yourself comforted by the breath of God, know that you are being comforted by the most powerful and commanding force in all the universe.  Before every word He speaks to you, He first breathes.

Father, thank you for the breath of life, and for it's renewing presence every day.  Help me to remember that when I hear Your voice, it is prefaced with the greatest power in Your breath, and that I am covered in that power by Your Spirit through Jesus Christ.  It's all in Jesus' name, Amen.

"These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the scripture daily to find out whether these things were so."  Acts 17:11

It's been two weeks since the last post, and I apologize for that.  My family and I were finally able to get away for some relaxation, and I didn't have the internet.  It was actually quite wonderful.  Although I did miss all of you.  (Cue the obligatory "Awwwwe...")

As I've pointed out in previous posts, I have noticed a great deal of argument amongst believers over theology and the like.  Not that it hasn't been happening consistently for the last 2000 years, since Christ's death and resurrection, but this seems different than the typical doctrinal banter that has existed almost as long as the church.  Now let me be honest (I might have mentioned this before); I like to argue.  A good old-fashioned debate is kind-of exciting to me, especially with regard to religion.  And like every other human on the planet, I "know" I'm right.  On theology, philosophy, or even good 'ole politics, I'm right and your wrong, unless you feel similar to me, and then I'm right and you're almost right.  (I know that's not necessarily a good thing, but I am human, after all.)

I, like most people, get most of my theology from pastors and teachers that I trust.  I do read my Bible, as all believers should, but it's pretty easy for my mind to link the scriptures that I read with what a good teacher has said.  Since many of us trust different teachers, and those teachers probably differ a bit on interpretation of certain scripture, we end up with differing theology.  This is the reason for the existence of multiple denominations of the church across the globe.  I would argue (here I go again) that this blind faith in a trusted teacher or preacher is actually the wrong approach.

Don't get me wrong.  It is very important to have teachers and preachers that you trust are consulting the Father and His Word to formulate a message or idea.  After all, God does in fact call people to the pulpit to lead His Church.  But how can you really know if a teacher has consulted the Bible?  How can you know that the quoted scripture is true?

Go find out what God really has to say about it.  We have the Word, in literally hundreds of English translations, and over 500 other languages around the world.  You do have to be cautious of translation, especially in English, but that's a different discussion altogether.  The point is, go find out for yourself.  Even the leaders of the first church, the guys who penned most of the New Testament, said that the people of Berea had a better approach because they received the word with all readiness, and searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so (Acts 17:11).  They were saying, "Don't trust it just because we said it, go see what God says about it" (My paraphrase).

I, personally, have not found a single topic in my life that God's Word doesn't address in some way or another.  He has given us all the answers.  So my challenge to myself and all of you is to find out what God says.  Listen to the teachers, listen to God's voice, but even when you're having trouble hearing Him, you have His Words right in front of you.  It is our road map for the path through this life directly to Him.  Don't blindly trust me in my ramblings.  I'm a man, just trying to do the best by my God.  God has given us His truth in our language.  What does He say?

Father, thank You for Your Word.  That I don't have to worry about false teachers or false doctrine, because instead of following blindly, You have given us the road map necessary to follow You.  And help me to follow Your Words, that I will not become a false teacher and lead other's astray.  I only desire to lead people straight to You.  Praise You in Jesus' name, Amen.